It was only a matter of time before Hollywood got wind of online poker and casino operators and decided to glamourise the industry in their own special way. Although only the trailer is doing the rounds, the new up and coming film entitled ‘Runner, Runner’ with Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake looks set to tell a cautionary tale about an industry that is worth billions. For the purposes of entertainment, the plot of this film will revolve around Timberlake’s attempt to pay his college tuition with online poker winnings, only to have the funds withheld by the nefarious Affleck who runs his poker operation on the island of Costa Rica. Timberland wants what’s rightfully his and goes after Affleck but once there, is tempted by Affleck with a life of opulence and decadence.

The film sounds great, but is it really the type of press that the online casino and poker industry needs? Sure, Hollywood has always been about dramatically twisting the truth and the tired old phrase ‘any news is good news’ comes to mind. But the pending release of a film that paints a bad picture of an old and well liked past time for the sake of profit and entertainment will raise questions. Fortunately questions and concerns are easily laid to rest when one surveys the international regulated online casino industry. The money made from just a small cluster of some of the world’s legal operators is enough to suggest that profit may eventually trump legislation.

888 Holdings has thus far has seen a 7% increase in profits mainly thanks to its poker and casino endeavours. 888’s $200 million mark at just the half of 2013 has a lot to do with an increase in popularity of online poker and its portability thanks to mobile casino technology – the type you can play here.

Paddy Power also reported very strong mobile and online growth with a 12% increase in profits equating $103 million – growth only measured thus far up until June 2013. Playtech, one of the world’s most renowned mobile and online casino software developers has boasted profits of $231 million up to June 2013 which indicates a 15% increase in profits.

What is quite apparent is that legal and regulated mobile, poker and online casino entities are boasting tremendous growth. It seems that the world at large is very prepared to accept these forms of convenient gambling as the way forward.